Falling Petals
by Lulu CocoPops
Summary: The mudblood was the reason why he was in exile. It was the mudblood's fault he was back in England. She was his reason for everything. "Well, I love him and we are going to get married after the war." She said. "All the best mudblood." I reply, working hard to keep the pain and hurt out of my voice.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter…life isn't fair.

Sunset in this garden is beautiful. To find some hidden Malfoy estate in America was surprising for me. My parents and all my ancestors as far as I know have a common disdain for the States and their bloody game of Quodpot. The flowers here are not magical which again is surprising for me, it's a Malfoy estate for bloody sake. The roses in Mother's garden are charmed to change colours and so they are not necessarily Muggle plants. The flowers in this garden are well cared of and by Muggle hands, a gardener named David. We talk sometimes. My ancestors must be rolling in their graves watching me and a Muggle interact. The old me would have killed him the moment I met him. I like this particular patch of flowers, David said they are called peonies. David told me a story about those flowers. He said they were named after Paeon, physician to a group of immortals known as gods. I am sure those immortals the Muggles called gods were just a group of powerful wizards. Paeon was saved from the fate of dying by being turned into a peony. The story gave me hope, maybe one day I will be able to return to England and find a way to put Voldemort behind me. Even thinking his name frightened me I was so bloody pathetic and a coward. Mudblood was right. She was always right.

I walk inside the house and I am met with the portraits talking about me. They liked to do that a lot. Gossiping like Parkinson and Greengrass. I missed my friends. There is a painting of a woman called Katherine, she is the only I actually talk to. The other portraits infuriate me. I am sure they are all Gryffindors. They keep spouting advice at me and telling me to go back to England. They say she won't kill me, they say she will listen if I try to explain what happened. They wanted me to grovel. I wanted to, I would have left by now but I always remember that she choose Potter and Weasley over me. She went back to Weasley because he is safe. Well bollocks. I love her and she threw it all away. Stupid Mudblood.

"Master Draco" The house elf, Oreo appears in front of me. I scowl, Oreo actually scared me. I am losing my mind. "Yes Oreo."

"Dinner is ready."

"Thank you Oreo. Bring a plate to my study." I say, I am not really in the mood to eat. "And today's copy of the Daily Prophet."

"Yes Master Draco." Oreo says, disappearing into a mist of blue smoke.

Katherine is looking at me in, tears in her eyes.

"What is wrong with you?" I say, my eyes dart to the portrait on the opposite wall. It's the portrait of a man called Christopher, Katherine's husband. "Has he been insulting you again?" I ask then groan internally. Merlin, if Blaise could see me he would wonder what the hell happened to me. I don't care about other people and here I was caring about Katherine's feelings and she is a bloody portrait. I, Draco Malfoy have developed a heart and it's all that Mudblood's fault. Stupid bloody feelings and the girl I decided to fall for.

"Stay out of this child." Christopher sneers.

"I will if you consider not treating her like rubbish." I sneer back. My voice is cold, I haven't spoken in that tone in almost a year. Potter and Weasley come to mind and Aunt Bella. Performing the Cruciatus curse on Weasley did felt good and I am justified if you ask me, he took my girl away from me.

"Draco, ignore him." Katherine says, her voice soft. I am sure she is not sad anymore. Katherine and Christopher's love was complex, they hate each other but they love each other. I don't try to understand most days. It's a pointless cause. Love should not be understood, if we did I am sure it would make the pain loves causes in its wake all the more excruciating.

"Child, let me tell you something, I may fight with Katherine at every turn but at least I fight for who I love."

"Bollocks, you throw her away more than you keep her around."

"Draco, don't talk to him like that." Katherine says and I look at her confused. "He is right, he fights for me, you left her."

"I am always right" Christopher smirks at me. Mudblood was right, smirking was annoying. "I don't dislike you, I think you are being stupid and Malfoys are never stupid."

I blanch. "You are a Malfoy?"

"Of course Draco, why else will we be hanging in a Malfoy estate?"

"I thought you were just acquired by the family."

"Child, how are you a Malfoy again?" Christopher asks and I ignore him.

"We are Malfoys but we are squibs." Again, I blanch. It did make sense why this estate was in America when my family obviously hated the country. Most purebloods kill their squibs, I guess we Malfoys are more humane. I am as shocked as the next person.

"But why didn't you tell me all this when I arrived."

"It wasn't necessary." Christopher says. "Katherine, tell the boy to go back to England."

"Draco, go back to England and fight in the war that is partly your fault."

"I am not going back."

"What are you scared of? The Mudblood or the Dark Lord?"

"Don't call her that." I say, shooting a spell at Christopher's portrait. He leaves and walks into Katherine's.

"So you still care about her?" Christopher says. "I thought so."

"Leave him alone." Katherine says just as Oreo appears in front of me.

"Master Draco, Oreo put dinner in the study and here is the daily prophet." Oreo says, handing me the paper.

"Interesting headline" Christopher says.

"It's a horrible headline."

Oreo disappears as I open the paper in order to find out what the portraits were talking about.

_**Hope is Lost.**_

_**Hogwarts Falls into Death Eater Hands.**_

_Sally Brooks._

"I am sure the Mudblood was there" Christopher says. I ignore him but I know he is right. Hermione would have been there. She would have insisted on staying there because according to her it was the safest place in the world. Hermione, are you still alive? I close my eyes, knowing the tears will never fall. My decision had been made for me. I am going back to England.

"So going back to see Hermione, I see?"

"What are you? A bloody seer?"

"Yes and no." Christopher smirks at me.

"Oreo!"

"Yes Master Draco"

"Get my suitcases ready." I say to the house elf. "We are going to England."

"Yes Master."

* * *

Hello! I hoped you liked it. Review and tell me what you thought.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Me: I own Harry Potter!

J.K. Rowling: Yes and I am Pygmy Puff.

Me: Fine…you own Harry Potter.

London did not look any different. It didn't seem like there was a war going. _Maybe the war ended so we can go back home. _I push my hair out of my eyes and tell myself to stop being a coward. I am wearing Muggle clothes, a pair of jeans and a black hoodie with a t-shirt under. I pull the hoodie over my head as I walk into the Leaky Cauldron. My hair stood out and I couldn't risk anyone recognizing me. There would be both Death Eaters and Order members here faster than you can say Merlin if someone recognized me. Both sides wanted me dead, I am sure the Death Eaters wanted me dead even more especially my dear Aunt Bella. I had reservations to be staying at the Leaky Cauldron. It was inconspicuous and away from any side of the war. The last time I was here, the Leaky Cauldron was refuge for people who wanted nothing to do with the war. I hope it still was. The owner, Tom gave me a key and told me my house elf had arrived the day before. Now that was truly wonderful. Not even in the slightest.

"Oreo" I call, walking into my room.

"Yes Master Draco." Oreo says, appearing out of thin air.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, a little annoyed that he had followed me.

"Oreo was worried about Master Draco" The house elf replies. "Oreo offended Master Draco, Oreo will punish Oreo now." A book materialised into his hands.

"No" I say, snatching the book away from Oreo before he punished himself. "Oreo, I am fine, you don't need to be worried."

"Master Draco is lying." Oreo says and I look at the house elf in shock. His marble like eyes are looking at me as if to say go on, tell me I am wrong.

"I am not lying Oreo, I am fine." I say. "You sound like Christopher." The house elf looks horrified that I compared him to the portrait. Good.

"Yes Master Draco." Oreo replies. "Does Master Draco need anything?"

"Nothing Oreo, I am going to bed though."

"Yes Master Draco" Oreo says, disappearing again. I wonder where the house elf had disappeared to. Maybe the kitchens.

The bed was lumpy but for some reason it put me to sleep.

"_Draco, watch." Aunt Bella said as she aimed her wand at Hermione. "She is a mudblood, not worthy of being associated with us."_

"_Aunt Bella leave her alone." I said as I struggled against Rosier and Nott. "Please leave her alone."_

"_Draco, you are my favourite nephew" Aunt Bella turned her wand to me. "Crucio" My body went cold for a few seconds then it was on fire. The pain was insane. My bones were being crushed by the curse, one by one I heard my ribs snap. My skin felt like it was being cut open by a knife while at the same time someone was pummelling me into the ground. I wanted to cry but I couldn't. I could not give Aunt Bella the pleasure. "You are weak Draco just like Cissa." The pain was getting worse, I couldn't take any more of this. I am scared of the mangled cry that escapes my lips. Was I also going to be tortured to insanity like the Longbottoms? _

"_Mudblood" Aunt Bella said as she stopped torturing me. "My nephew is weak and I am sure you are even weaker."_

_I looked over at Hermione she was crying. "Crucio" Aunt Bella said in a happy voice, wand aimed at Hermione. Rosier and Nott made me watch. I tried to close my eyes but Rosier cast a spell so I couldn't close my eyes. Hermione's screams, her tears and her pain, it was all imprinted in my mind. "You are a mudblood" Aunt Bella said, dropping to her knees by Hermione's shaking body. She took her wand and she wrote mudblood across Hermione's arm. "You will never be more than a mudblood." My aunt spat in my girlfriend's face. "You will never be a Malfoy."_

"_She will be." I managed to yell through my pain._

"_Really now" Aunt Bella said, walking towards me. "That would make you a blood traitor, Draco and I will not hesitate to kill you." Aunt Bella wrote blood traitor across my arm. "A match made in pureblood hell, a blood traitor and a mudblood." I didn't talk back, all I did was spit into my aunt's face._

"_Avada Kevadra." Aunt Bella yelled and the last thing I head was Hermione's screams before the blinding green light killed me._

I woke up with a start, my night terrors were getting creative. I pulled my right sleeve up, there in my aunt's beautiful hand writing were the words blood traitor. My other arm held the Dark Mark, I tried as much as possible not to look at it. I was sweating and shaking, I was scared. My night terrors had a way of doing that. That day was the day she broke up with me. She left me because she was just as scared as I was. She didn't want to lose her friends because of me. She didn't want to be tortured again because she was my girlfriend. Hermione just didn't want to be near me because of the danger, she went back to the Weasel. Weasley was safe but I loved her. He was just a stupid ginger who could not hold an intelligent conversation with her. She even said once that he had the emotional range of a tea spoon but the Weasel won and the Malfoy was presumed dead. My head was beginning to throb, I really needed to sleep but I knew if I tried I would be met with nightmares. The pain was getting worse fast and the room suddenly felt hot. The after effects of my night terrors were amazing, one night terror and I am falling ill. At least, I would be for a couple of minutes. When a pain in my stomach joined the party, I called for Oreo.

"Yes Master Draco." Oreo says, appearing by my bed. "Master is sick again?" The house elf asks and I nod. "Oreo thinks Master should see a healer."

"I am not that sick." Oreo looks at me, concerned. The house elf didn't believe me but I didn't care because the pain had stopped. All the effects of my night terror had vanished.

"Yes Master Draco."

"Oh and Oreo find me some parchment and ink." I say. "I need to send someone a letter." If anyone could be trusted with the fact that I was alive it was Blaise. He wanted no part in this pureblood superiority nonsense.

Oreo brought me back what I requested along with a meal. He insisted that it would make me feel better and that if I got ill, he would punish himself. He was supposed to take care of me and I was making his job difficult. Oreo had a larger than life personality just like another house elf I knew. Dobby. Dobby was my favourite house elf when I was growing up and he was loyal to Potter. Another thing I have lost to Potty and his slug vomiting side kick.

_Spots,_

_It is exactly who you think it is. I haven't come back to haunt you, idiot. I am in London, don't try to find me because you won't. I just want to know if Princess is okay then I will just disappear again._

_Fangs._

I sealed the letter then gave it to Oreo to deliver before proceeding to stuff my mouth with Oreo's famous curried rice and beef sauce. Muggle food just tasted better when Oreo made it.

* * *

Hermione's POV.

Glass House was the safest of the safe houses because it was refuge to blood traitors and us, the Golden Trio. It was all Ron's idea to hide out with the purebloods who were mostly Slytherins who had switched sides during the war because let's face it the Death Eaters hated them as much as we did. They wouldn't expect us to co-exist with them in the same house. Their mistake, our advantage. I was sitting in the kitchen with Ginny who was talking away about some article in Witch Weekly with Luna. Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini were also in the kitchen, talking about Quidditch. I was worried sick about Harry and Ron, they were back at the Burrow, official headquarters for the Order. They were strategizing an attack to take back Hogwarts with the professors. I was recovering from an injured leg and so I was left at home like some house wife.

I look down at my arm, the word mudblood had been carved into my flesh by Bellatrix Lestrange. Anger courses through me. She had labelled me but that didn't matter because if I ever see her I am going to kill her in the slowest and most torturous way possible. Maybe first I will cast the Imperius curse on her and make her act like a circus animal then torture her with the Cruciatus curse for a day or two before I finally shot the killing curse at her. _ Hermione get a grip of yourself. You can't let anger make you exactly like her._ The war had been devastating, two years of it and I was wondering why I hadn't offed myself by now. The answer was easy because I was Hermione Granger, one of the prime examples of Gryffindor courage. Bollocks, if I was brave I wouldn't have walked away from Draco that day. The war, Voldemort, Death Eaters, Ron and Harry. It was becoming all too much. We needed to find the rest of the horcruxes before the resistance died. We had already lost Fred and Percy Weasley, Padma Patil and Susan Bones. We could not afford to lose any more friends.

"Hermione" Ginny called. "Are you okay? You look out of it."

"I am okay, my leg is bothering me a bit though." I reply.

"Maybe you should go upstairs" Ginny says.

"If only we had some pus from a polark." Luna said and all heads including the Slytherins turned to face her. "Polark pus has a lot of healing power, Daddy once used it to heal my twisted ankle." Oh Luna, I am so glad this war hasn't changed you.

"What the hell is a polark, Lovegood?" Blaise asks.

"A creature that lives in Australia, it looks like a koala only it's more ferocious and secretes pus through a gland under its feet. The pus has healing abilities."

"Sure Lovegood." Blaise replies.

"I am sure I will be fine." I say as a snow-white owl flies into the house.

"Hedwig?" Luna asks and Ginny shook her head. It wasn't Hedwig but I think I know who it was and whom he belonged to. Draco Malfoy. I look at Blaise and Theo, their faces gave nothing away but surely they must be as shocked as I was that their best friend's owl just flew into our safe house. Their best friend who had been dead for almost two years. The owl dropped a letter in front of Blaise then flew away.

"Who is it from?" Ginny asks and Blaise shoots her a glare.

"There is a war going and we were being forced to get along but we are not suddenly friends Weaselette."

"Oh for Merlin's sake Zabini I asked who the letter was from not whether your mother had gotten round to killing her tenth husband."

"Ginny" I warn. There was no need for this argument.

"Leave my mother out of this." Blaise says through gritted teeth.

"So who is the letter from then?"

"Mother." Blaise says simply and Ginny left him alone. I knew he was lying. That letter was from Draco but that was impossible Draco Malfoy was dead. I watch Blaise read the letter, his eyes were twinkling with humour. He looked genuinely happy. What at all had Draco written in the letter?

"Granger" Theo calls. "Can we have some parchment?"

"Get you own parchment" I snap and Blaise bursts into laughter. How dare the two of them correspond with my dead boyfriend? How dare they? I am in my right mind to throw them to the Death Eaters.

_Dead ex-boyfriend Hermione dead ex-boyfriend. _

_You are with Ron now._

_Oh yeah I forgot._

"What is wrong, Princess?" Theo asks. "It can't possibly be your time of the month, I heard you and Weasley this morning." I look at the two of them in mortification. Theo called me Princess, the last time he called me that I was still Draco's girlfriend and he was referring to the day he heard Draco and I in the Heads Common Room. We were just snogging but Blaise and Theo are sure it was more than that. I have turned three shades of red, any redder and my face would match Ginny's hair.

"That's none of your business."

"Whatever you say Princess." Blaise says. Stop calling me that I wanted to shout.

"Why do you keep calling her that?" Luna asks.

"Oh, no reason." Blaise says, sending a small evil smile my way. A smile that looked so much like Draco's smile.

"Luna, don't waste your time on the Slytherins."

"Ginny is right, Luna." I say.

"Of course I am." Ginny says before launching into a story about McGonagall and an unfortunate Hufflepuff who turned her into a teapot during class. On the exterior I was laughing along with Luna to Ginny's story but on the inside I was worrying about whether Draco was alive and if he was back to being a Death Eater.

* * *

Chapter 2 is up. Hope you liked it and review, review, review.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Draco's POV.

Living in the Leaky Cauldron was not half bad and not as degrading to the Malfoy name as I thought. I snicker. Degrading to the Malfoy name? There was nothing left to degrade. I have been in my room for the whole week I have been here. Tom came round to check if I was doing alright three days ago. I had to cast a glamour spell so he wouldn't know who I am. Tom said I was the only guest who stayed to himself and that was bothering a lot of the other guests. They thought I had something to hide. That was true but why did Tom tell me? I was a wizard who till a week ago was dead in England. I thought the first thing that the Order told the people on the light side was stay away from strangers, don't go trusting anybody. People are getting careless, have they really lost all their hope like the Daily Prophet said? Well, I don't care actually. All I care about is the mudblood and as soon as Blaise tells me she is okay I will be back in the States arguing with Katherine and Christopher.

There is a scratching sound at the window, I turn to see a tawny owl there with parchment tied around one of its legs. Getting up from the lumpy bed, I open the window and the owl swoops inside the room. I untie the parchment and send the owl on its way back to its owner. Blaise can feed the bloody owl. There were two parchments, who did Blaise think he was writing to? This was a letter to a bloke not his girlfriend. I am not Greengrass for fuck's sake.

_Fangs,_

_You are alive! You stupid oaf. I promise when I see you I will kill you. How dare you make us think you have been dead for the past two years? Princess is fine by the way, her leg is banged up a bit. She was at Hogwarts when the Death Eaters took control. I am not going to look for you because as much as you don't want to be found neither do I. Be careful wherever you are and man, I think you should have stayed dead. _

_Spots._

If this was all Blaise had to say, why were there two parchments? Had someone intercepted the owl?

_Fangs,_

_I am glad you are alive. Princess is fine and I hope you are okay._

_T.N._

Theodore knew I was alive? Blaise you, idiot you weren't supposed to tell anyone. I glare at a square of wall,

maybe I shouldn't have told Blaise I wasn't rotting in the Forbidden Forrest. Theo could be trusted but still I did not plan on him knowing. I put the letters from my friends on the table then get back into bed. Hermione is okay, I have what I wanted and now I can go back home. I knew I was lying to myself because I didn't want to just know Hermione was okay. I wanted to see her, to touch her beautiful skin, to tease her about her hair; it had stopped looking like a bird's nest but I refused to acknowledge that. I wanted to be with her but she was with the Weasel. Fuck. I wanted to punch something. I hate feeling like this. I hate knowing that I need her. Her know-it –all attitude, her Gryffindor traits, I hate knowing that I couldn't hate her anymore. I need her and she was busy trying to stop You-Know- Who and becoming the next Mrs. Weasley.

She just couldn't leave well enough alone. She had to sneak around and break down my barriers. She took away my freedom and now I am sitting her plotting ways to see her. Ways that would ensure my death before I even got to talk to her. I just wanted to see her face outside my night terrors. Fuck, I am so fucked.

A loud noise sounded breaking my train of thought. What the hell? There was screaming and crackling laughter. I could hear explosions and then I heard a scream that stopped my heart. "Death Eaters." There were yells of people being tortured and a woman talking. She was telling them that they were wasting their time fighting the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord was all powerful and nothing was going to stop him. Not even Harry Potter. That voice, Salazar no. It was Pansy Parkinson out there torturing all those people. Pansy didn't care about this, when did she join all this insanity and pledge her life to the Dark Lord.

"Master" Oreo said popping into my room. "Oreo save Master Draco."

"Oreo get out, go somewhere safe."

"No, Oreo save Master Draco." I shake my head, why did Oreo have to care about me? I didn't want him to die.

"Leave Oreo, it is a command." I say but the house elf refused to listen.

"Do hear that?" A voice said from outside my door. I tell Oreo to be quiet and go hide.

"There is someone in there" I wasn't sure who was going to come through the door. Death Eater or Order member, who ever came through that door would want me dead. I couldn't apparate out of here. The wards around the Leaky Cauldron would keep me from doing exactly that. Fuck. Fuck.

_You are an animagus, idiot._

How could I forget? Theo was right I can never think straight when I am under pressure. Just as the door opened I turned into my animagus form and slithered under the bed.

Hermione's POV.

It was past midnight when Harry and Ron appeared in the living room with a house elf and caged snake.

"Did you manage to save anyone from the Leaky Cauldron?" Ginny asks.

"Most people, a few died including Tom." Ron replied.

"This getting out of hand, we need to end this." Harry said, his voice cold.

"We will, Harry." Ginny says, calming her boyfriend down.

"Um guys, why is there a house elf with you?" I ask, speaking for the first time since they got here.

"The house elf refuses to be separated from the bloody snake." Ron says. "Got stunned by Yaxley because the bloody elf was trying to catch the bloody snake." That's strange.

"We were wondering if you could explain the house elf attachment to the snake." Harry says. "We can't put the house elf in a safe house if it is joined at the hip with a snake." I could tell he was tired and the house elf was just infuriating him. The house elves in safe houses was one of Ron's ingenious ideas. He had been having a lot of them these days. I am just shocked he was thinking for himself but then again Ron said war was like wizard chess and he knew wizard chess brilliantly. The house elves lived in the safe houses and they did house work and got paid. S.P.E.W had made some progress finally.

"I don't know why the house elf is attached to the snake." I say. "It makes no sense but Harry, have you tried talking to the snake?" I add. "Maybe it can tell you why the house elf is attached to it"

"That's true."

"Well give it a go so we can go to bed." Ron says, grumpily.

I look at the snake. It is beautiful. Its skin was a black and grey pattern, grey diamonds on a black ground. Even though the snake was coiled but I could tell the snake was long. Something struck me as odd though the snake had silver eyes and those eyes seemed to be dancing with laughter. It couldn't be though because the snake is just an animal and I am sleep deprived. I switched my gaze from the snake to Harry when he spoke.

"It said let it out." Harry said, his eyebrows furrowing together.

"It can't be making bloody requests." Ron yells and Ginny smacked him. "What was that for?"

"I don't think it is just a snake" Ginny says "I think it is an animagus."

"I highly doubt it." Ron mutters as the snake slithered out of the cage and onto the rug at my feet.

"Ginny I think you are right." I say then turn back to the house elf. "What's your name?"

"Oreo"

"After the muggle biscuits?"

"Yes Mistress" The house elf replies. "Master says Oreo's name comes from his old girlfriend."

"Is your Master muggle born?"

"Master is pureblood" Oreo replies and there is silence. A pureblood naming his house elf after something muggle. Weird.

"Is your Master a blood traitor?" Ginny asks and Ron shoots her look. "Do other wizards call him a blood traitor?"

"Master does not talk to other wizards." Oreo replies. "Master likes to be alone."

"Why?"

"The snake said to leave his house elf alone." Harry says.

"So it is an animagus." Ginny said, proudly.

"Who have we brought here?" Ron asks. If it is a Death Eater, I will kill it on impulse."

"I am sure you will, Ronald." I say, wondering who at all the snake was. "And I don't think it is a Death Eater, how many Death Eaters do you know are nice to their house elves?"

"None" Ron answers then sends a glare towards the snake. The snake seems to be glaring back.

"Tell it to change back." Ginny says and the snake seems to comply. A soft light appears around the snake and then it is not a snake again instead it is Draco Malfoy. Oh Godric, am I dead?

"Malfoy?" Ron and Harry yell in unison. Ginny's wand is drawn and she is looking at him with a glare so murderous he should be dead like he was supposed to be. Draco Malfoy however is standing right in front of me, smirking.

"You are not dead?" I squeak.

"No, I am not dead." He says then turns to Harry. "Potter, don't come snooping in my head again."

"I didn't know it was you, I would have killed you if I knew." Harry replies, his voice full of venom. "Your animagus is a snake, how fitting."

"Yes it is, isn't it?"

"How the hell are you alive?" Ron asks, his face the same colour as his hair. "Killing unicorns, are you?"

"Tempting but no." Draco replies. "I just didn't die after our little fight in the Forbidden Forrest though I was sure the spiders got you." He adds with a small smile. Ron gets redder.

"Why you little Death Eater" Ron lunges but Harry holds him back.

"Give me a reason why I shouldn't kill you" Ginny says, moving closer to Draco.

"No reason, come on kill me, do what the Death Eaters do on a daily basis." He replies and Ginny flinches. "Become a monster."

"Leave her alone." Harry snarls.

"Harry" I yell. "Don't kill him, we can use him." I just can't watch him die, hearing he was dead the first time was bad enough and I still care about him.

"What makes you think I want to help your lot?"

"It is either that or death." I say in a calm, even voice even though inside I was having a panic attack.

"I choose death." Draco sneered.

"You are still a smug git." Harry said, his wand pushing into Draco's back. "You are at a disadvantage here in case you haven't realised."

"I wanted to see someone, a princess and now that I have you can kill me." Draco looks straight into my eyes as he speaks. He wanted to see me. He came back from the dead to see me?

"Malfoy, you will help us, you don't have a choice in the matter."

"Listen here mudblood you are not a princess to tell me what to do." I glare at him. He just wanted to get under my skin and I refuse to let him.

"Don't call her that." Ron says, grabbing Malfoy by his collar. "She is better than anything you could ever be."

"Ron leave him, the insult has lost its effect."

"Let's leave him to sleep here, we can deal with him tomorrow." Harry says then turns to walk out of the door. Ginny and Ron follow him out but I just sit there.

"Can't you leave, mudblood?" He asks.

"Leave me alone."

"Oreo" Malfoy says to the house elf. "Are you alright?" I look at the interaction in shock, the ferret actually cared about his house elf.

"Yes Master."

"Alright and next time listen to what I say."

"Yes Master" Oreo says. "Oreo sorry."

"It's okay and don't punish yourself Oreo." Malfoy says and my shock grows. He actually cared.

"Yes Master"

"You are still here?" He asks, his voice cold. I want to ask him what happened the years he supposedly dead but I didn't. I just wanted to go to bed and wake up next to Ron and Malfoy would still be dead.

"I am leaving, prat." I snap at him, getting up from the sofa.

"Good night Hermione." I hear as I walk through the door.

"Good night Draco" I mumble.

* * *

Hello! Did you like it? Review and tell me your thoughts.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K Rowling unfortunately.

Draco's Point of View.

"Draco?" I hear a voice say but I keep my eyes closed. I was not ready to get up just yet. "Is it really him or my mind is playing tricks on me?"

"I am asking myself the same thing." Another voice says. It sounds like a male. "Draco" The voice says again, poking my side with their wand. Were mudblood and her friends so daft? Had they forgotten what happened last night so soon?

"Fangs" A different voice says, his tone was deep and had an accent to it. An Italian accent. It was Blaise Zabini my mind realizes as my eyes fly open. Standing around me in fact was Blaise, Theo, and the Greengrass sisters.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, not bothering to hide the shock in my voice.

"It's complicated" Blaise replies.

"Uncomplicate it for me then." I sit up in the sofa. My mind is racing trying to come up with a reason why all these Slytherins were in one house, the same house that Potter and his merry band of Gryffindors lived in.

"It's not that simple, mate." Theo says. I can tell they aren't going to tell me anymore than that though I am sure Mudblood will tell me what is going on. She liked to point out that she knew something I didn't.

"Draco, how are you alive?" Astoria asks. "Theo said you were trapped in a fire."

"I don't want to talk about it." I sneer and they back off.

"I missed you so much." Astoria says, flinging herself into my arms.

"I missed you too." I reply, hugging her back.

"How touching, the snakes are reunited." Weasley says as he walks into the room with Potter, Weaselette and Granger.

"Ron" Granger warns.

"What is Draco doing here?" Daphne asks. "And how come he is alive?"

"I would like to know the exact same thing." Potter replies as he sits in the chair opposite the sofa.

"I am sure he has a horcrux after all he is the Dark Lord's heir." Weasley says and my anger begins to build. "Like master like servant."

"If I ever want to make a horcrux at least I know who to kill for it." I reply icily. It was too early for the stupid ginger to get on my nerves.

"Is that a threat, Malfoy?" Weaselette asks. "Did you just threaten my brother?"

"No, why waste my breath? He can get himself killed on his own"

"Can we just get this over with?" Potter says, annoyed. "Hermione if you will." They wanted mudblood to ask me questions. Oh, this should be fun.

"Maybe you guys should leave." Granger says turning to my fellow Slytherins.

"I am sure that's a good idea too." Daphne replies, her had sneaking around Blaise's wait. They are still together I observe bitterly. I know I should be happy for Blaise but I hate the fact that he is happy and the only girl I could ever love wants to kill me.

"Mate, we are going to have a nice long chat later." Blaise says, an eyebrow raised. I nod my response.

"See you later, Draco." Theo says then leaves the room with Blaise and the Greengrass sisters.

"Let's get this over with" Potter says in a flat tone. "Malfoy, we are going to give you Veritaserum just so we know it's you and not some other Death Eater using polyjuice potion."

"It's me Potter." I snarl.

"I want to be sure."

"Though I wish it was some other Death Eater, the best thing Malfoy ever did was die." Weasley says and I see red. The only thing that keeps me from killing the bloody ginger is the fact that the mudblood is holding his hand. It hurt me. Potter produces a vial of a clear liquid out of his pocket and hands it to me. I look at the vial for a couple of seconds before pouring it down my throat. It burnt as it went down my throat then I was at Potter's mercy. The potion was supposed to answer whatever he asked truthfully. What Potter and his merry band of Gryffindors didn't know was I am an Occlumens. I could resist the potion but for some stupid reason-Granger- I wasn't going to.

"What's your full name" Potter asks. That's basic, they must be checking if the potion was working.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy"

"When is your birthday?"

"5th June."

"Which house were you in at Hogwarts?"

I am tempted to say Gryffindor just to screw with their minds but I decide against it. I would have my fun later. "Slytherin"

"The potion seems to be working." Mudblood says and I roll my eyes. "Harry, ask him how he is alive, we all saw him trapped in fiendfyre."

"That's a good question but I want to know something first."

"Malfoy, have you seen Voldemort since you rose from the dead?"

"No"

"Are you planning on returning to his service?"

"No" Potter's questions were annoying me. I wouldn't have disappeared for two years just to go back to the Dark Lord even Potter was so daft that he wouldn't realize that.

"How come you are alive?" Potter asks. "How come the fiendfyre didn't kill you? You were trapped"

"I was saved by Oreo, Oreo pulled me out of the fire."

"The house elf?" Weasley says, confusion in his voice. "Why would does that bloody house elf care so much about Malfoy? He is probably horrible to the house elf just like he was to Dobby." I feel my temper flare. Dobby was my favourite as a child, I only mistreated him when father was around. I didn't want to but it's not like I had a choice.

"Malfoy and the house elf seem quite attached." Granger speaks as Weasley snorts.

"It's unnatural is what it is." Weasley says. "You think the house elf is under the Imperius curse?"

"I don't think so, Ron." Potter replies.

"It's Malfoy, he probably cursed it for fun."

"Weasley" I say in a low, harsh voice. "Leave my house elf alone."

"I will when I feel like it."

"Weasley" I growl, trying very hard to keep my temper in check. Granger would not approve of me pummelling her boyfriend into the ground. _She doesn't care anymore, why do you? _

_I love her even if she doesn't._

_You are an idiot._

_I know._

"Ron, leave him alone, he is useless." Potter says and the being the side kick he is, the Weasel backs off. "He knows nothing about Voldemort."

"I know nothing about the Dark Lord but I am not useless."

"We beg to differ." Granger says and I turn my glare towards her. All the warm feelings I have towards her, the love has evaporated and all that is left is hate and anger. Anger for leaving me for Weasley.

"Granger" I say slowly. "Don't piss me off."

"Don't threaten me."

"Don't deem me useless."

"We already did." Weaselette says. "Now what are we going to do with him?"

"He can stay here" Granger says and I drop my glare. Here? Seeing Princess every day? It sounded too good to be true.

"I don't think he needs protecting."

"Is that what they are doing here?" I ask. "This is a safe house."

"Yes" Granger replies, in a matter of fact tone. "Just for the Slytherins on our side."

"He does not need protecting, let just fix his memory and pretend he is still dead."

I weigh my options, if the Death Eaters found out about me, they would kill me. I was safer here and I would see Mudblood every day. "I need protecting." I say and four heads snap to my face.

"I seemingly died in that fire because I disobeyed the Dark Lord, I need protection."

"You managed to stay dead for two years, why did you come back?" Weaselette asks. "Why did you risk your life?" Mudblood was right, Weaselette saw the good in people even when there was nothing to be seen.

I swallow, I could resist the potion, I could lie but I didn't. Mudblood needed to know I did this for her. She needed to know I still cared even if she didn't anymore. "I thought someone I cared about was dead."

"You care?" Weasley scoffs. "Impossible, next he will be saying Voldemort doesn't want to kill you anymore." I send a glare towards him. I wish I could tell him it was Granger I cared about but that will just dredge up memories I wanted to stay buried because the Weasel won in the long run. She was his girlfriend after all.

"Who is it?"

"Is the person dead?" Weaselette asks.

"No" I reply. "She is fine and I think she is happy without me in her life." I look into Granger's eyes when I say that.

"Sorry"

"What are you doing saying sorry to the git?" Weasley asks. "Ginny, he is the enemy."

"Ron, no one not even Malfoy deserves someone they love to leave them."

"But I guess its okay for him to murder the people we love." Weasley yells at his little sister. "It was okay for his lot to murder Fred and Percy then." Weaselette has tears in her eyes and Potter looks like he wants to kill his best friend for what he just said to his girlfriend.

"Ron, that's not fair." Weaselette yells then runs out of the room. Potter follows her out but not before shooting a glare at the ginger.

"Ron, you shouldn't have said that, they were her brothers too."

"I don't bloody care" Ron yells then turns to me. "I don't trust you." He adds before leaving the room.

"The person you came back for, is she…is she me?" Granger asks.

"No" I reply, coldly.

"Okay" Granger swallows as a tear slides down her face. "Let's go tell the other Slytherins you live here now."

I follow Granger out of the room and into the kitchen. The Slytherins are sitting at the kitchen island, talking about me.

"Ahem" Granger says, drawing their attention to her. "Malfoy is going to be staying here for a while, please let him know the rules."

"Alright" Theo replies.

"Oh and Malfoy, your house elf is in charge of the house, I already spoke to him about it."

"Whatever." I mumble before walking to take a seat in between Blaise and Theo.

"Granger" I call just as she is about to walk out and she turns to face me. "I heard there is a thunderstorm today." Granger simply nods before walking out. I was reunited with my friends and for now that was all I wanted. I had exactly two seconds to myself before Astoria bombarded me with questions about the last two years. I laugh at her before proceeding to answer her question. Astoria never knew how to stay out of people's personal business and she was never tactical about it. If the Sorting Hat ever placed someone in the wrong house it was Astoria Greengrass. Hufflepuff is where she belonged and that's saying something.

* * *

Dra

So here is chapter four. How did it go? Did you like it? Please review and tell me if you did or did not? Anything else you think I should check? Grammar and spelling? I am rubbish at that. Thanks for reading. See you next chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters . I am just using them for practice.

Hermione's POV

The Weasleys and Harry left for a meeting over at the Burrow this afternoon. I had been left behind yet again because of my leg. I would give anything for my leg to be healed but alas due to my cowardice in the past I was stuck in the Glass House with Draco Malfoy. This was not how I had planned to spend my day. I was so bothered by his presence that I hadn't ventured out of my room since morning. Luna came round to check on me. If she was surprised by the fact that Draco bloody Malfoy was sitting in the kitchen, she hid it well. She talked about Nargles and some other creatures I was sure only existed in her head before bidding good bye. She had to get back to her own safe house.

"He had to turn up here of all places." I mutter as I fidgeted with the end of my t-shirt. "He just couldn't leave well enough alone." I am scared, scared that I still cared about him, I am scared that I never did stop loving him and by being with Ron I was just putting myself through unnecessary pain. The man I loved was just downstairs and I couldn't even admit to myself that I still needed him.

The rain started out as just as a drizzle but that lasted for a few seconds before the water started falling by the buckets. The rain drummed loudly against the house and it made the roof creak. I feel my heart lurch forward when a branch hit my bedroom window. I crawl under my blanket and hope the storm will stop soon, I was however not to be made happy. The rain was falling even harder and I couldn't even hear Blaise, Theo and Draco arguing about Quidditch downstairs anymore and I feel so cold. I hadn't felt this cold since third year when the Dementors had come to Hogwarts in search of the most infamous prisoner Azkaban ever held, Sirius Black. The thunder was booming in my ears and the lighting was flashing wildly like a blinking light bulb. I wanted Ron to be here, to hold me and tell me everything would be okay. I wanted him to be here so bad then the thunder sounded again, this time it sounded like laughter, a mad scientist's sort of laughter. Tears started to fall and as drop by drop fell onto the wooden floor I felt even more alone than I did in the morning. Last time I had felt like this, I had just broken up with Draco. It was a horrible feeling, I guess this is what would have happened if I had spent any time in Azkaban. I feel like I could never be happy again. I don't get the feeling because I have Ron and Harry and Ginny and my parents and a whole lot of other people so why did I feel so alone? The answer was simple really, I did not have Draco Malfoy in my life. The idea that I couldn't be happy if I didn't have Draco Malfoy in my life frightened me more than the thunderstorm.

A loud pop makes me turn to the door. Oreo is standing there in a bright white pillow case. The faintest of smiles had formed on my lips at least Oreo was wearing something clean. The house elf refused to wear anything that suggested he was in no way enslaved to Draco. Oreo even called Dobby a disgrace to all house elves. The comment made Harry and Ron livid and enforced Ron's belief that Draco had the poor house elf under the Imperius curse. I would have believed him if I didn't know what Malfoy was really like.

"Master sent Oreo to check if Miss was okay." I want to gape but I am too shocked to do anything but stare.

"I…I…I…I am fine."

"Is Miss sure? Should Oreo get Master?"

"Oreo don't worry I am fine, you can leave now."

"Yes Miss." I let out a sigh of relief as Oreo disappears out of my room. Draco remembered I was scared of thunderstorms. I want to smile but it felt like I was fraternizing with the enemy. I pull the blanket tighter over my body and stretch my hands out and away from my body like I do when I wake up. My right hand shoots back to my side when it touches something cold and scaly. I turn to see a snake, a black and grey snake with silver eyes. Malfoy.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, turning to face the other side of the room.

"Keeping you company, that seems to allow your mind to forget that there is a storm going on outside."

"Go away."

"I am not."

"Why?"

"You know why."

"No, I don't." I turn to face him, expecting to see the snake and not the face of the man I had run away from. His platinum blonde hair is dishevelled, falling into his eyes and his lips are set in a thin line. He looked annoyed. "I don't know anything about anything." His features rearrange into a scowl.

"You are scared of storms, I came to keep you company, is that so bad?"

"Yes" I squeak.

"Why? Why is it so wrong that I remember? That I care?"

"Because Draco we were never supposed to happen." I say, it hurt me to say it but I had to. I needed these feelings that I had buried to stay buried. I was meant to be with Ron and not Draco. Draco's scowl gets darker then it disappears and in its place there is a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. A small angry and bitter smile. Draco rolls up his sleeve and there is something I never wanted to see again. I had rather see the Dark Mark then what was there. Why couldn't he roll up his other sleeve? It brought up too many memories, too many painful ones and a curse. The Cruciatus Curse and Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Mine says blood traitor and yours says mudblood." Draco spits with venom. "I don't have a bloody reason to live because of you, no freedom or peace."

"Draco-"

"And you of course run off with Weasley well let me remind you stupid little mudblood." Draco says, a glare marring his pointed features. "You and I happened, we were supposed to and that's why you can't have peace. Your freedom was taken too that bloody day we said I love you."

"My freedom is not gone." I yell at him as the thunder makes a loud boom.

"Are you sure? Do you love Weasley or are you bidding your time till you run off with Potter too?" Draco's eyes are murderous. He was looking at me like I was dirt, vermin. He was looking at me the same way he did when we first met. "Going to leave Weaselbee broken too, are you?"

"No" I yell, fat tears rolling down my face. He was hurting me. Couldn't Draco see he was hurting me?

_I don't think he cares right now, you broke his heart and it sent him into exile for two years. _

"Yes, you stupid mudblood." Draco glares. "You know I am right."

Draco's POV

"No, you are not." Hermione says, her voice just a whisper. "You are not right."

"And how am I not right?"

"Well…well, I love him and we are going to get married after the war." She said.

"All the best, mudblood." I reply, working hard to keep the pain and hurt out of my voice. I send her a dark glare towards her before leaving her room. Stupid, stupid, stupid mudblood. Why do I care? She can marry Weasley and have more children than they can afford. Stupid red haired and freckled children.

"Draco?" The sound of my name makes me turn. Standing down the hall way was my best mate. "Are you okay?"

"No…no, I am not." I reply walking towards Blaise.

"Why?"

"She is marrying the Weasel"

"When?" Blaise asks and I send him a glare.

"After the war"

"Sorry mate." Blaise says. He empathized but he had no idea what I was feeling. I was in so much pain because of that bloody mudblood.

* * *

Poor Draco, he just can't catch a break.

Hello! So how is the story going? Do you like it? Please review and let me know what you think. Thank you for reading.


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